Holly Hill, FL - A 25-year-old Ormond Beach man finds himself back in Volusia County Jail after a woman he's been dating off and on for several years tells police he entered her motel room armed with a knife, grabbed her by the neck and forced her to walk out.
Cody L. Jones now faces seven felony charges from the Holly Hill Police Department in connection to that Wednesday afternoon (January 16th) incident at the Ridgewood Inn near the corner of U.S. 1 and Mason Avenue.
According to the arrest report, the 23-year-old woman had rented a room at the motel with a male friend and both of them had returned to the room from a divorce court proceeding when Jones forced his way inside around 1 p.m. without permission or knocking on the door.
Both of them told HHPD Jones pulled out a "large" knife from his back pocket, placed it on a table nearby after telling them he didn't need it, then proceeded to take both of their cell phones so they couldn't call the police.
Per the report, that's when Jones used his hand to hit the woman's neck, knocking her to the ground. He then grabbed the woman by her neck, choking her so hard she could not breathe. Jones then lifted her high enough to where her feet were dangling in the air.
Investigators think Jones then let go of her neck, forcing the woman out of the motel room on foot towards State Street and then towards the intersection of U.S. 1 and Mason Avenue, where both were met by officers with the Daytona Beach Police Department minutes after the motel owner had called 911.
Just before the officers found Jones and the woman, she claims Jones choked her again with both hands near the corner of State and Mason and that he pushed her several times while they were walking.
She also told investigators that Jones had a history of acting violent and harming her in the past.
No injuries were noted in the report other than a mouth injury which she says might have happened when trying to defend herself from Jones.
When interviewed, Jones said he was angry at her and that he had "anger issues" but denied choking her at any point or wanting to harm her or her friend, per the report. Officers say Jones did admit to entering the room without knocking or getting her permission and taking both their cell phones so they couldn't call for help.
Jones also told officers he and the woman had gotten into an argument while talking on video through Facebook the night before because she wanted him to go to her divorce proceeding, but the argument convinced him not to go.
As of this afternoon (January 17th), Jones is held without bond at VCJ on two counts of false imprisonment and tampering with a witness along with separate charges of domestic battery by strangulation, robbery with a deadly weapon and armed burglary.
VCJ records show Jones has four prior bookings since December 2013 on a variety of theft and burglary-related charges, with the last being in November 2016.
Jones' first appearance in court is scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon, according to the Volusia County Clerk of Courts website.
